The activities of this research project currently comprise three main functions: (1) Identification of ticks received from various individuals, universities and governmental agencies throughout the world. This is the only laboratory in the world capable of performing this function; (2) Systematic investigations of the Ixodoidea including taxonomy, classification, and life histories; and (3) entry, retrieval and manipulation of our tick data base on the Smithsonian computer system to provide researchers with the latest updated information on any tick species.